The Game
by Shuffle Princess
Summary: You have to think and choose the right strategy... Should I get her flowers? No. That's too mainstream. Chocolates? Another no. Then what? - Tsubasa


**DISCLAIMER: Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana.**

**Rated T. Please be warned.**

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**The Game**

Written by **LunarChan**

_This story is dedicated to **Edel Chii**. She asked me to write a Tsubasa X Misaki story a loooooong time ago. XD Sorry for just posting right now. Now you know why I was asking you about Misaki's eye color earlier. HAHA!_

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_**Life is like a game of chess...**_

"Hey hey hey," Hayate repeatedly tapped my shoulder, trying to get my attention.

"Hmmm?" I looked up at him, raising the _bonnet _that covers my eyes. "What? I'm trying to sleep, you moron."

"Have you heard?" His voice was filled with amusement and I know he wouldn't let me sleep again without hearing this so-called news from him.

I slumped back at my chair and turned my head towards him. "About?"

"Tono's asked your best friend to be his girlfriend!" He shrieked a little too loud that some of our girl classmates that were passing by gawked at him.

"I…" I tried to speak but I couldn't even form coherent words.

Then she entered the classroom with that glued graceful smile on her face. Shizune came a little later behind her. They were laughing... At what? I don't know. Her pink hair swayed a little as she sat at the chair on the second row. She noticed me looking at her, so she winked and grinned at me before focusing her attention again to Shizune. They were giggling like there's no tomorrow. Her red eyes sparkled as her cheeks beamed.

And I couldn't help but think...

"She's beautiful, huh?" Hayate nudged my elbow, breaking my thoughts.

"Who?" I asked, looking away.

Oh shit. He'll tease me now. Just what I need.

"Seriously, Tsubasa." He rolled his eyes at me and he slumped on his chair. "You don't have to deny it. I'm your friend, duh." Insert another eye roll moment here. "And I'm a guy, too. I can see if one guy likes a girl."

"I thought you're gay." I commented and covered my eyes again with the bonnet, deftly hoping he would drop the subject.

I heard him sigh. "So... What are you going to do?"

I sighed, too, before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Hayate asked me, his face fell.

"Away from you." I smirked. "This is why Kaname's much better than you."

"Aww man. Now I'm the second guy best friend again." He muttered and grinned back. "No, really." His face became serious. "What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing." I shrugged.

"That's uncool, man." He commented. "You should do something. And I think you're both perfect for each other."

"Who is _perfect _for Tsu?" I didn't even notice that Misaki was now standing behind me.

I turned around and laughed. "Never mind him. He's just preaching a sermon again."

"I tried telling you, Tsubasa." Hayate shook his head sadly. "As your second guy best friend, I really tried."

"What's he talking about, Tsu?" Misaki asked me and tugged the sleeve of my uniform. I turned my back on Hayate and draped my arm around her neck, tightly. She choked and punched me. I chuckled.

"It's nothing." I told her and glared at Hayate. "Oh, and you're not my second guy best friend."

"Really?" His face lit up. "Then I'm your first guy best friend?"

"You're my first _gay _best friend." A grin crossed my lips and he scowled at me.

"Ew. Hayate is gay." Misaki commented as I dragged her out of the classroom.

"You have to do something Tsubasa." Hayate called after me. "Or else you'll lose the game!"

"What is he talking about?" Misaki questioned me again, impatiently tugging at my shirt.

_The game? What game?_

"I don't even know." My forehead crumpled as I tried to recall if I did have a bet with him or with someone. I don't remember having a bet with someone. What the hell is he talking about?

"Hmp," She got slightly irritated and removed my arm. "You're keeping a secret from your best friend."

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded. "I told you I don't know what he is talking about."

She still pretended to be angry for five minutes before asking me to buy her orange juice as an apology. Hah. The things I do to make her happy.

But Hayate's right. I have to do something. I couldn't bear to lose her over someone else. Frankly speaking, I couldn't afford to let that womanizer Tono have her.

She's too precious to me and seeing her dating other guys would be too… unbearable.

_**You have to think and choose the right strategy...**_

_Should I get her flowers?_

No. That's too mainstream.

_Chocolates?_

Another no.

_Then what?_

Oh, fuck it.

Great. Now I'm talking to myself like a real retard. This is the side effects of having that idiot Hayate around.

_**If you move carelessly and recklessly, you might lose something special,**_

"You're no good. You're no good!" Hayate complained as we eat our lunch at the school's cafeteria. I was supposed to be having lunch with my best friend, unfortunately, she had other plans with Shizune or so I heard.

"Couldn't you just shut up and eat?"

"You're such a pussy," He munched on his burger and I suddenly got the urge to strangle him to death right now. I gripped the spoon I am currently holding at my right hand.

_Patience, Tsubasa. Your patience will be rewarded._

"You're going to lose it." He shrugged. "More importantly, you're going to lose her."

I scowled at him. "I said shut up."

"Life is a big game, it's either you win or you lose." He shrugged before standing up. "I just thought I'd tell you that."

_**And if you try to analyze everything you do and calculate every little thing, you won't learn a lesson...**_

I sucked in a big, deep breath before walking towards the cherry blossom trees where she should be waiting. I asked her to come here alone.

_This is it, Tsubasa. As that idiot has said, don't be such a pussy._

I walked towards her and the moment she heard my footsteps, a smile curled on her lips. Her face lit up and she waved at me.

I could feel my heart bombarding my chest. My feet were moving slowly, it's as if it's waiting for a chance for me to stop and then run away. No, I won't do that. I have to face it. When you love someone, you have to face your biggest fears.

My palms began to sweat and my forefinger twitched.

The hell! _I'm nervous!_

"So, what is it?" She asked when I got under the shade of the tree.

"I… Uh…" I stuttered and her brow quirked up. I bit my lip.

_Just exactly when did saying 'I LOVE YOU' become this difficult?_

"I just thought I'd bring you here again. This place is memorable to us."

_Oh shit, no. I didn't just evade confessing my love for her!_

She laughed a little, her white teeth showing. "Yes yes, I remember finding you here when you got scolded by Jinno-sensei when you forgot your assignment back when we were still in elementary." Her laugh now turned to fits of laughter. "And when you ran away from home because you saw your Mom with another man! You thought she was two-timing your Dad, so you got angry and packed all of your things! You went here and you said you're going to spend the whole week here. That's so ridiculous!"

_I have to tell her..._

_I have to tell her!_

_I HAVE TO TELL HER!_

She was looking at the lake in front of us, still smiling as she relives all our memories here together.

"Aah, and that one time where you accidentally spilled curry all over your shirt and if your Mom finds out, she'd get really mad at you so you decided to go here and wash it there in the lake." She chuckled. "But you forgot to buy a laundry detergent..."

I now held both her shoulders and she was startled by my sudden movement. "W-What?" Her voice quivered. "D-Did I say something wrong?"

"N-No." I shook my head and looked down. "I'm just going to tell you something."

She relaxed and waited for me to speak up.

"I know I might be late in saying this, but I..." I took a deep breath. "I love you. I know I'm just a lazy bum who happens to sleep around a lot and I do mistakes like there's no tomorrow. I've been tousling your hair, choking you whenever I drape my arm around your shoulders, teasing you weird nicknames and giving you trouble. I can't promise to be the good prince you dream about, but I will try my best to be someone worthy of you. But if you're dating Tono now," I gulped. "I-It's okay..." My voice trailed off and waited for her reaction.

She laughed. Hysterically, may I add?

"W-What?" I looked at her now, my face probably baffled by her response.

"First of all," she cleared her throat and tried to suppress her laughter. "When you tell a girl you love her, look at her in the eye." And she cradled my face with both of her hands. I could feel my face getting hot. "Second, I'm not dating Tono!" She snickered at me.

"Y-You're not dating him?" I felt a shimmer of hope.

"I'm not. He asked me to be his girlfriend, but he's not making an effort. He thinks he could get me like how he got his former girlfriends." She wrinkled her nose and made a disgusted face. "Plus, he's not my type."

"Then what's your type?" I asked, hoping that I would somehow fit those qualities.

Misaki ruffled my hair as she looked absently at it. "Hmmm... Someone who is handsome, smart, sporty, talented, understanding, loyal... Andddddddd..."

My heart felt like it was about to explode. Not in a good way.

"I love you." She smiled as she saw my shocked face.

"B-But I thought y-you liked smart, handsome, sporty, understanding and a loyal guy. I don't fit those."

"You forgot about the guy being talented." She stuck her tongue out. "But I love you anyways. Know what? You don't have to have a reason for loving somebody. Those qualities? Those are just what girls admire in a guy. Of course, it's a plus if a guy has those qualities."

"So... You still love me even though I don't fit in your category of your guy?"

"Silly," She grinned. "You're handsome. Not in a way that every girl swoons whenever they see you... But you're handsome in my eyes. You're smart. You're not like Jimmy Neutron or Albert Einstein, but you are still knowledgeable." She then murmured, "Not sure what you got in your brain though. Must be nasty things."

I laughed.

"You're not that sporty but you know how to play basketball quite a bit. That's enough for me." And then she eyed me.

"What?"

"You're not talented at all, but I once saw you dancing _Superbass_ with Hayate last time and it made me crack up."

I felt my cheeks redden with embarrassment. "That was a dare."

"You understand me. Well, we wouldn't be best friends if you can't understand me."

I shrugged. "What if I'm faking?" I teased and then she frowned. "I'm just kidding!"

She rolled her eyes. "As for the loyal part..." Her lips formed a pout. "I don't know yet since you didn't have any girlfriends before."

"Because you scared them."

"I did not!"

"You did. I once asked one of our classmates in Biology to do out with me, but you scared her and told her what I do to you. Like choking you to death and wrestling you."

She blushed. "Well..." She looked away. "I think she's not worthy." She then looked at me. "This isn't about me, anyway."

I let out a laugh. She's annoyed by that subject.

"I've known you since I was four year old, Tsu." She giggled a little. "And I'm always having fun when I'm with you. Those are priceless and couldn't be replaced by any other prince charming out there."

I exhaled.

"What are you sighing at?" She asked, chagrined.

"Nothing. I'm just relieved." I removed her hands on my face and she looked confused by what I did. I gathered all my courage and hugged her. I kissed her on the cheek and her cheeks turned scarlet. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She muttered softly, burying her face in my shoulders.

How I wish this moment would last forever.

_**Life is like a game of chess...**_

"You're right." I grinned at Hayate after I told him the successful confession I did at the cherry blossom tree.

"I know, man." He rolled his eyes. "You're just so pessimistic." He grinned back. "I take back what I said about you being such a pussy."

I nodded at him. "That's nothing."

"So you won the game."

"Yeah," I laughed. "Though winning isn't really what's important."

His forehead crumpled.

"Well, life isn't all about winning. It's about how you played the game. How many mistakes you learned and what you did to correct them. In my case, I learned how to not be a chicken and voice out what I feel. That's why I won."

He patted my shoulder. "You've grown up."

"I know."

"But you're still a kid to me. Hah." He remarked, making both of us smirk at each other.

"And you're still my number one _gay_ best friend."

"Really, huh?" He snorted. "That makes me wonder if I should go get a girlfriend now, too."

He laughed as he stood up. "See you later. I'm gonna go girl hunting." He wheeled towards the door.

"Good luck." I shouted after him.

Someone covered my eyes. "Guess who?" Her laugh sounded like wind chimes.

"Do I really have to?" I snickered as I removed her hands on my eyes and kissed it.

"Stop that." She scolded me and looked away.

"Stop what?"

"Stop being sweet. I'm melting."

"Hah. I'm always sweet. I just happen to express it in a different way last time."

"Like choking me?"

"Well, yeah." I laughed and tousled her hair.

"I still can't believe you're my boyfriend." She said in a mocking tone.

"Me, too." I agreed, adding sarcasm.

"You're lazy, you sleep a lot like a kindergarten kid, you eat a lot, you smirk a lot," I smirked when she said that. "Stop smirking at me! You... You..."

"I what?" I chuckled as she struggled, finding words.

She sighed. "I still love you despite all that."

"I know." I smiled before holding her hand and squeezing it. "And I love you, too."

_**Life is like a game of chess...  
Nothing's gonna happen if you won't dare to make your MOVE.**_

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**Author's Notes:**

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii guyyyyyyyyysssssssss! It's been a while since I last posted a story. Five months? OTL I'm very sorry. I've been busy with school and... some stuffs. :))

This is an apology fic for all of you, too, who have been waiting for me to update. Sorry. My brain cells are dying these past few months! HAHAHA!

Oh and I apologize for the grammar mistakes. I think my betareader is busy at the moment since school started and... Yeah. I wanted to publish this as soon as I finished it. :))

The plot just formed on my mind when I was taking my bath earlier this day. After I took my bath, I immediately grabbed the laptop and began typing away. :))

So... yeah!

Leave me a review, pretty please? As a gift since I wrote again after five months. XD Please please please please?

THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU~~~ :)) I lovw you guys! Stay awesome, continue to rock the GA Fandom. :))

**_~ LunarChan _(06-22-12; 10:51PM)**


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